


The Astronomy Tower

by summersrage



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Brooding, F/M, Forgiveness, Gen, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Second Chances, brooding Draco Malfoy, dramione - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:48:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28785189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summersrage/pseuds/summersrage
Summary: They were nothing but children, pawns in a war that was not there’s to fight.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	The Astronomy Tower

**Author's Note:**

> Currently just a one shot, might add more if the mood strikes me.

Death eater.

Scum.

Blood traitor.

School had begun a little over a month ago and already Draco could tell this year might be just as hard, if not harder, than 6th year had been.

He was seen as a blood traitor to those who still believed in the pure blood propaganda bullshit he’d been fed all his life and a death eater to everyone else. 

All his friends were either dead, in Azkaban, or laying low like he was. 

He was completely and utterly alone.

…

“Draco?” A soft voice cut through the darkness of his mind.

Wand out, he turned with a hex on his lips before he even registered who it was that had called his name.

She was just as fast to draw, a confident “protego,” rang out into the night before all went still again.

“Christ Granger, I didn’t- I mean are you- I’m sorry.” He stammered through the apology.

“Old habits die hard, huh?” She said, making a show of slowly pocketing her wand. He followed her lead.

Carefully making her way over to him, she leaned on the rail looking out into the moonlit night.

“It’s almost easy to forget on nights like this.”

“Huh?”

“It’s so peaceful and quiet, it’s almost as if the war never happened, that we were never used as child soldiers, that all the horrors we witnessed never existed.”

“The light doesn’t make the monsters disappear, just go into hiding.”

“Yes, but for a few peaceful moments it’s nice to pretend they don’t exist, and right now those moments are all I have to keep me going.” She said, turning towards him. “What about you, Draco? What keeps you going?”

For the first time since Malfoy Manor, Draco looked at Hermione. Really looked at her. 

Her usually luminous eyes lacked their usual spark, her voluminous hair, thrown into a haphazard bun, appeared matted and uncared for. The muggle clothes she wore hung off her clearly emaciated frame. 

“At this point, Granger, I’m not sure.”

She offered him a small smile.

“We’re similar, you and I, more than I think you realize.”

“How do you figure?”

“We were nothing but children, pawns in a war that was not ours to fight.”

He’d heard those words before, they were the very same she’d spoken at his trial.

“Why did you testify for me?”

“Because we were all child soldiers and we couldn’t help what side we were born on.”

“But I watched you be tortured, I stood there and watched. I did nothing to stop it, to help you.”

“You and I both know doing or saying anything would have gotten us both killed or worse. Your hands were tied.

And you’re wrong, you did help me. When I was lying there, listening to that horrible woman, you caught my eye and held it. You grounded me Draco, you gave me something to focus on, you might just be the reason I didn’t lose my mind.”

“I didn’t take the mark you know.”

“Huh?”

“The mark, I didn’t take it. My father tried to force me, he volunteered me for the Dumbledore mission. It was my test of my loyalty to the Dark Lord, and I failed. I’ve been a failure all my life.”

“You know I don’t buy into labels, but if I’m the ‘Brightest Witch of my Age’ then you’re The Brightest Wizard. Think about it Draco, we’ve been neck and neck with grades every year. You always pushed me to be better. I don’t know what you’ve been told but you should be so proud of yourself. And for killing Dumbledore? You proved that you are not your father's son.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Draco asked, wiping away tears he had not realized started to fall.

“We fought a war to undo all of the hate, the change is going to start with us.” Placing a hand on top of his, they shared a look before turning their sights back onto the quiet night. 

...

Nobody was more surprised than Draco when, the next day, she walked right past the Gryffindor table and towards the Slytherin one.

He couldn’t help but stare as the Golden Girl settled next to him on the bench. Offering a small smile, she began putting food on her plate as though nothing monumental had happened. 

In that moment Hermione Granger gave him something he knew he didn’t deserve, a chance.


End file.
